Do you think Presto pots eat up a lot of electricity?

[RetroMetroChic]

Does anyone know what they compare too in energy cost.

My electric bills have gone way up I'm just curious

what the cost of running one is say 4 or 5 hours a day?

Thanks for any advice or help

I went online trying to find any info but couldn't find anything

I'm just wondering if I bought one of the big boys that say they conserve energy the convection types I think, would that be less in electric bills.

[MissMori]

If you still have your electricity bills from before you began using the Presto pots, you can compare usage. You should be able to compare pre-Presto to post-Presto usage. My bill has kilowatt usage for the month compared to the same month the previous year.

[pleasureridgecandles]

I have 2 presto pots going at the same time for several hours when making candles and there's no big change in my electric bill. So I would think that they do not use too much. Has your electric company increased their rates recently? Running the AC more than usual or at a lower temp than normal? Any other factors that may be using more electric than normal?

I just checked on the box of one of the presto pots and it states 1300 watts. HTH

[Judy, USMC]

The following formula comes from this site: http://www.nppd.com/My_Home/Product_Brochures/Additional_Files/electric_usage.asp

Keep in mind that the usage is based on the amount of time the pot is actually in the heating cycle. That would be the minutes at the start to bring the wax up to temperature ... and then just the minutes that it cycles on to maintain the temp. For me, it appeared the pot actually uses electricity only 30 minutes for every hour it is plugged in. So I would take the final cost and divide that in half to get the true cost per hour of operation.

"Operating cost per hour can be estimated if you know:

Wattage of the appliance

Cost of electricity (cost per KWh)

To estimate the number of kWh (units of electricity used in one hour) first determine:

The wattage of the appliance from its nameplate

Apply the following formula:

Wattage x 1 (hour) = kWh (units of electricity used per hour)

1000

To figure operating cost per hour: kWh (units used) x Cost/KWh=Cost/hour

To determine average cost per kWh from your electric bill:

EXAMPLE:

(bill) $69.38 = $.0925 per KWh

(KWh) 750

Cost per KWh 9.25¢

EXAMPLE: 1500 WATT HEATER

Electricity used per hour

1500 x 1(hour) = 1.5 Kwh

1000

Cost per hour of operation:

1.5 KWh x 9.25¢ per KWh = 13.88 (cents per hour)"

[rebeccajo99]

I'm not sure when you started using your presto, but like another poster said it could be something else. This summer was unusally hot where I live. I only turn our air on when it is going to be over 83 degrees and I think there was a dozen times tops that our air was able to be off this summer. Our electric bill almost doubled from last year, which was about the same for my friends and family.

If you are comfortable talking with friends/neighbors/family about bills, just ask them if their electric bill went up too. That will be a better indicater than looking at the kw hours for an increase since it could be environmental for the increase.

[bart70]

Cost per hour of operation:

1.5 KWh x 9.25¢ per KWh = 13.88 (cents per hour)"

This assumes that your thermostat is on all the time which is not the case. Running your Presto pot for one hour might only amount to 30mins of time in the hour when the thermostat is 'on' in that hour.

13.88c per hour would be the absolute maximum if the pot was set to the highest setting and never reached the set temp in the hour. In reality, for candle making, the actual on time would be less than 100% so it would be fair to assume that the actual cost would be much less than 13.88c in the hour. For mine I work on an average of 60% duty cycle.

Bart70

[Judy, USMC]

Keep in mind that the usage is based on the amount of time the pot is actually in the heating cycle. That would be the minutes at the start to bring the wax up to temperature ... and then just the minutes that it cycles on to maintain the temp. For me, it appeared the pot actually uses electricity only 30 minutes for every hour it is plugged in. So I would take the final cost and divide that in half to get the true cost per hour of operation.

...

Cost per hour of operation:

1.5 KWh x 9.25¢ per KWh = 13.88 (cents per hour)"

You are right bart70. Should have summarized that I would divide the 13.88 cents by 2 and have an operating cost of 6.78 cents per hour.

[islandgirl]

Yes I do..

They suck electricity like a vampire sucks blood!

When the electrician was putting in extra outlets so I could heat up a few pots at a time, we kept blowing a circuit when 5 or more were on. He told me they were suckers..

So yes.. I do see a difference in my bill when I am making candles all day.

Edited September 21, 2010 by islandgirl

[outlawsfh]

Greetings all, I am new to this forum...

You can do this (if it is cost effective and that important to you).

Get one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/P3-International-P4400-Electricity-Monitor/dp/B00009MDBU/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1285178651&sr=1-1

or http://www.amazon.com/Belkin-Conserve-Insight-F7C005q-Monitor/dp/B003P2UMP8/ref=sr_1_15?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1285178651&sr=1-15

or http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3025184

It measures usage. You plug it into the wall, and plug your device into it and you can watch the usage (consumption by kilowatt hour).

They have two models. The second one is nicer in that you can plug in your energy providers watts per hour fee or whatever, and it will actually show you in dollars - what the device is taking up.

I was gonna buy one and go through the devices in my house, but never got around to it.

Good luck!

I came across this thread to see if people were using Presto pots for melting wax and if they were reccoemnded - I guess people are using them!

[Judy, USMC]

Yes I do..

They suck electricity like a vampire sucks blood!

When the electrician was putting in extra outlets so I could heat up a few pots at a time, we kept blowing a circuit when 5 or more were on. He told me they were suckers..

So yes.. I do see a difference in my bill when I am making candles all day.

The circuit breakers are based on amperage draw. You can only draw so much energy before the breaker will trip. 20 amps is a small diameter guage wire and the breaker is there to prevent the wire from overheating and starting a fire. This small amperage is normal for outlets that supply lamps and small kitchen appliances. And, normally, all the outlets on the circuit are not being used at the same time. Remember it will take a lot of continuous supply until the pot reaches the temperature you set and you have 5 trying to get up to the temperature all at the same time. Firing up that many presto's at the same time places too much demand (read over 20 amps) on the wiring.

The solution is to put new outlets on a separate circuit... you may even have to run a couple more circuits if you are plugging them all in at the same time. Even better may be get a professional melter and add a 40 amp circuit on heavier guage wiring.

Using the 9.25 cents per kwh it would cost about $2.72 for 5 pots running for 8 hours. Of course if your rates are higher it will cost more!

RetroMetroChic ~ I still recommend using the formula to find out your exact cost. If you are only using one pot there should be no problem with you tripping any breakers. HTH

[RetroMetroChic]

Thanks for all the advise. Doesn't sound like its my main issue

going by the cost per hour calculations given

My bill is huge, it must be the heat I am in the deep south.

I think this summer is really hot one. I just wondered because I leave my warmer on alot.

But what I was curious about is? Would it be worthwhile to order one of the

large professional wax warmers, I noticed one on I think Candle & Supplies site that said it was good on electricity. I think it was a convection type warmer.

I love my Presto Pots but am curious what the big boys are like??

Has anyone used the professional Wax Warmers? And what are your thoughts, which one is a good one to look into etc..

Thanks for all the great advice and help:smiley2:

[mparadise]

I have a big 75 lb water jacketed one in addition to my prestos. If I am going to be pouring 30-40lbs or more then I fire up the big melter but if I am doing less I just use my presto because for me it is quicker. The WJ melter takes a while to come up to temp but once it is there it doesn't take much to keep it there. I typically turn it on low (120-140) during the day while at work to get it working then turn it up while cooking dinner so it is ready when we are done eating. When I have just turned it on and waited for it I usually am waiting a couple of hours for it. Granted...I use palm wax so the wax itself takes longer to melt. Others might have quicker results.

That said, I know many people also use the electric turkey fryers with the spigot (turk & surf) as was melters. They hold about 35 lbs and are much less expensive than the professional melters as a rule. I just went with the big melter because I happened to find it on craigslist locally for about what I would have paid for the turkey fryer and it holds 2x as much so it was a no brainer for me.